Baku, Finance Time.  One of the largest banks of Azerbaijan - PASHA Bank - announces, in cooperation with British Council, the start of the second phase of the programme for the development of business journalism in Azerbaijan. The project is focused on the promotion of professional abilities and skills of local mass media covering the economics-related issues.

PASHA bank Chief Executive Officer Farid Akhundov noted in his speech of welcome addressed to the project participants that sponsorship of such events was an important constituent of PASHA Bank's Social Responsibility Programme. "We, as a bank following the policy of transparent business and openness for the public, are interested that Azerbaijan journalists covering the issues of economics have the highest level of knowledge and access to a direct exchange of experience with their foreign colleagues. In this regard, the programme being realized by PASHA Bank jointly with our partners from British Council is a perfect instrument for achieving the above goals. I am quite sure that its results will be as successful as the outcome of the last year's project for the development of Azerbaijan business journalism" F. Akhundov said.

The training programme includes a number of specific media courses under the guidance of professional trainers from abroad as well as a study trip of the local journalists to Great Britain, within the framework of which meetings and exchange of experience of Azerbaijan journalists with their colleagues from leading newspapers, TV and other media organizations of GB are planned.

The main objective of the project is to create a leading group of journalists covering the issues of economics who, having familiarized themselves with the long-term experience of European colleagues, will be able to use the obtained skills for providing a more professional information content and analyzing the economic reforms and various business processes taking place in the country.

In accordance with the collegial decision, 11 journalists representing leading press and electronic mass media as well as radio and television: AzerTag, ANS TV, Azadlıg radio, Echo, 1 news, AzTV, ITV, Turan, ANN, Trend, Kaspi, have been selected for participation in the PASHA Bank and British Council project.